19^0. 



Notes. 



75 



NOTES, 



BOTANY. 



Eryngium maritimum in Co. Derry. 



In the latter end of July, 1918, I came across a fine plant of the Sea 

 Holly when rambling over the sand dunes at Magilligan. This particular 

 specimen was then in full bloom, and bore over twenty flower-heads. It 

 grew on the inner side of the outer range of dunes, and must have been of 

 long standing. The plant has not been recorded from Magilligan before ; 

 and it must, I think, be considered very rare there. At least I judge so 

 from tlte fact that a local resident to whom I showed a spray had not seen 

 the plant before. I may add that the only previous record from Co. Derry 

 for Eryngiitm maritimum was D. Moore's — " between Black Rock and 

 Portrush." It is probably extinct there now. My friend, Mr. S. Wear, 

 saw it a few years ago, but not lately, on the sands near the Golf Hotel, 

 Portrush, but the area in question is now in Co. Antrim,, 



Belfast. W. J. C. Tomlinson. 



The Distribution of Brachypodium pinnatum Beauv. 

 in Ireland. 



In 1898 (I.N., vii,, p. 253) I recorded the finding of Brachypodium 

 pinnatum for the first time in Ireland at Tramore, Co. Waterford, and 

 four years later at Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork. Since then it does not 

 appear to have been observed in this country until last year, when, on 

 June 22nd, I discovered it in abundance near Portumna, Co. Galway, 

 extending over at least twenty acres of old pasture land, not far from the 

 shore of Lough Derg. A fortnight later, while passing in a train, T saw 

 what I took to be the same grass on the railway bank near Maryborough, 

 Queen's Co., and on walking back by the railway a few evenings afterwards 

 found that my observation was correct. Next day I found some large 

 patches of it in the centre of a meadow between Maryborough and Mount- 

 mellick. Since then I have traced its occurrence along the railway for 

 several miles between Mountrath, Maryborough and Monasterevan, for 

 about two miles south of Kildare, at several places by The Curragh and, 

 in Co. Dublin, between Inchicore and Kingsbridge. Near Maryborough 

 and The Curragh it occurs in fields adjoining the railway, but I have had 

 no opportunity of observing its lateral distribution in the other localities. 



It is a most conspicuous grass, easily discernible,, even from a distance, 

 at all seasons by its yellowish-green foliage and dense mat-like habit ol 

 growth, and wherever it grows is the dominant species, driving all other 

 plants before it with its strong creeping stem, which spread out in every 

 direction. Along some of the above-named places it covers the railway 

 banks in continuou.s sheets each over a mile in extent. 



Ashburton, Cork. 



R. A. Phillips 



